MACADAMIA (ma-ka-DAY-mee-a)PROTEACEAE. Tropical nut-bearing trees.—Macadamia tetraphylla. (5) MACA-23.
Packet: $3.00
50 seed: $20.00 (plus $6.00 postage in the U.S., $11.00 to Canada, $15.50 to
México, $17.00 everywhere else)
500 seed: $125.00 (plus $20.00 postage in the U.S.)Fresh seed, stored refrigerated. Available January to May only.'MACADAMIA NUT'. Foot-long pendulous racemes of pink or white flowers,
followed by large edible nuts. Tree to 40 feet, with large dark green,
prickly-toothed leaves. Eastern Australia. Called 'rough-shell macadamia', this
is hardier than the common one, and stands down to 20°F. Good in inland areas
of southern California. The nuts are sweeter than the common one. Needs warmth to
germinate in 1 - 4 months.MACHAERANTHERA
COMPOSITAE. Ornamental annuals, perennials, and shrubs from western North
America. Showy daisy-like flowers and often feathery foliage. Excellent in hot
dry areas, good in the desert. Blooms for a long period and good for Gut
flowers.—Machaeranthera tortifolia. (50) MACH-28. Packet: $2.50
'MOJAVE ASTER'. Large light blue to violet blue or white 1 - 3" daisy-like
flowers, solitary leafless Stems. Hardy bushy perennial to 2 1/2 feet with a
woody crown. Desert slopes, California to Utah. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks.
MALCOLMIA (mal-kom-EE-a)CRUCIFERAE. Hardy annuals and perennials from the Mediterranean and Mideast,
grown for their showy flowers. Easy in almost any soil, prefers full sun. Sow in
early spring or fall, and thin to 3" apart.—Malcomia maritima 'Choice Mix'. (1000) MALC-3X. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $5.00, 1/4 Pound: $10.00'VIRGINIA STOCK'. Bright red, rose and white inch-wide 4-petaled flowers
covering the plant. Hardy annual to 8 - 12". Mediterranean. Sown in large
drifts they make a vivid display. Six weeks from sowing to bloom. Succession
sowings are nice. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
MALVA (MAL-va)MALVACEAE. 'MALLOW', 'CHEESES' (from the shape of the fruit). About 30
herbaceous species grown for their attractive flowers or for food (since 6000
BC). Very easily grown in most soils, full sun or light shade, and they may be
sown where they are to flower. Germinates in 1 - 4 weeks. Seed long-lived; they
have been sprouted from 200 year old adobe bricks in California and México.
Nicking may help.—Malva moschata alba. (100) MALA-10A. Packet: $2.50'WHITE MUSK MALLOW'. Lovely pure white. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks. About
half are hard.
—Malva moschata 'Appleblossom'. (50) MALA-10P. Packet: $2.50Soft appleblossom-pink 2" wide flowers from June to September. Hardy
perennial to 20", with deeply divided foliage. Europe. Zone 3. Germinates
in 1 - 12 weeks.
—Malva sylvestris var. mauritiana. (100) MALA-22M. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $7.50
Click for photos » 'ZEBRA MALLOW'. Clustered hollyhock-like flowers range from white to rosy
purple, with dark purple veins, giving the petals a striped look. Hardy
perennial often grown as an annual, to 3 - 4 feet. Blooms first year and from
June to September in subsequent years. Europe. Zone 3. The flowers are edible
and a nice addition to salads, and the young leaves are good in salads or boiled
like greens. Nick seed, germinates in 1 - 4 weeks.

MARRUBIUM (ma-ROO-bee-um)LABIATAE. Bitter aromatic Eurasian perennials. Easy in poor, hot, dry soils
and full sun. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks, best at very warm temperatures.
—Marrubium supinum. (100) MARR-8. Packet: $2.50
Photos:
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?enlarge=0000+0000+1109+0348http://www.florasilvestre.es/mediterranea/Lamiaceae/Marrubium_supinum.htm
'SCALLOP-SHELL'. Rosy-red flowers in short spikes in summer. Hardy perennial to
10", with woolly crinkled leaves. Mediterranean. Zone 5. Germinates in 1 -
2 weeks.—Marrubium vulgare. (100) MARR-10. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $9.00'HOREHOUND'. White-woolly hardy perennial to 1 - 2 feet, with small crinkled
leaves and white flowers in whorls. W. Asia and Mediterranean. Zone 3. Aromatic
and bitter. Called 'Seed of Horus' by the ancient Egyptians, it has a
long medicinal history, and horehound candy is a popular cold remedy. It
contains a powerful anti-viral compound. Used to brew ale.
MATRICARIA (mat-ri-KAR-ee-a)COMPOSITAE. 'MAYWEED'. Hardy annuals and perennials with finely cut foliage
and a profusion of attractive daisy-like flowers. Widespread. Easily grown in
almost any soil, preferring full sun. Nice for edging or in drifts. Sow where
they are to stand. Barely cover. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks. Seed viable 2 - 3
years. Blooms about 16 weeks from seed.—Matricaria Chamomilla. (=recutita) (1000) MATI-2. Packet: $2.50
Ounce: $8.00, 1/4 Pound: $24.00'GERMAN CHAMOMILE'. White inch-wide daisies with yellow disks. Hardy
sweet-scented annual to 2 1/2 feet with finely divided ferny foliage. Europe, W.
Asia. Zone 4. Very popular for a pleasant, relaxing bedtime tea. The volatile
oil has been used as a solvent in applying platinum to glass. Germinates in 1 -
2 weeks.
MATTHIOLA (ma-the-O-la)CRUCIFERAE. 'STOCKS'. Deliciously scented, easily grown annuals and
perennials, cottage garden favorites. Splendid plants valued for their greyish
foliage topped with dense showy spikes of clove-scented bloom. Excellent for cut
flowers. Likes deep moist soil in sun or part shade. Lovely winter pot plant.
Sow on the surface as light helps germination, which takes 1 - 2 weeks at cool
temperatures. Seed half life is 7 - 10 years.—Matthiola bicornis. (=longipetala) (500) MATH-10. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 Pound: $18.00'EVENING-SCENTED STOCK', 'PERFUME PLANT'. Lilac-pink 3/4" flowers are
closed during the day and open in the evening to scent the air with a powerful
perfume. Hardy annual to 20" with narrow leaves. Greece. "Wonderfully
fragrant."—Sunset. Plant beneath the bedroom window.
MECONOPSIS (me-ko-NOP-sis)PAPAVERACEAE. Hardy annuals, biennials and perennials grown for their large
showy flowers, which are produced in profusion from June to September. Excellent
in the border, rock, and wild garden. Most are hardy, and prefer a moist, partly
shady position, but with well drained soil that will not get soggy in winter.
Some require a cool moist summer, and planting these on the north side of a
stone will help provide a cool root zone. Equal parts peat, leaf mold and sand a
foot deep is recommended. Best grown from seed. The perennials are deep rooted
and long-lived and should not be disturbed once established. The monocarpic
(seeding only once) biennial and triennial species can sometimes be flowered for
several years if the first flower-buds are cut out. Sow annuals early and plant
out at the end of April. The biennials and perennials should be started in flats
on the North side of the house or other cool, shaded place. These will benefit
greatly from one week of cold treatment if sown in summer. Plant out in
September where they are to grow. They are magnificent plants, and not as
difficult to grow as many think, and their exquisite flowers and often striking
foliage are worth the extra attention to their requirements needed in
establishing them.They germinate best with a one week prechill.—Meconopsis betonicifolia. (100) MECO-2. Packet: $3.00
1/4 gram: $7.50, Gram: $12.00'BLUE POPPY'. Beautiful sky-blue 2 - 3" flowers in cymes. Hardy
perennial to 6 feet, with 6" toothed leaves. China. Zone 6. Blooms the
second year from seed sown in spring and planted out in August or September.
Germinates in about 2 - 6 weeks, best with one week prechill.
—Meconopsis X Sheldonii 'Lingholm'. (100) MECO-21L. Packet: $3.00
1/4 gram: $7.50, Gram: $18.00Beautiful clear rich blue 1 1/4" flowers in May to July. Hardy
perennial to 3 feet, with bristly 6 - 10" leaves. Zone 5. (M.
betonicifolia X grandis) Germinates in 2 - 6 weeks, best with one week
prechill.
MELALEUCA (me-la-LOO-ka)MYRTACEAE. Many Australian evergreen shrubs and small trees, grown for their
showy, bottle-brush like flowers. Most stand salt, heat, wind, poor soil,
drought and smog. The 'honey myrtles' have the showiest flowers and the
'paper-barks' have attractive layered bark. The larger species are excellent in
California and warm regions for hedges, screens and windbreaks or shade trees,
often being breathtaking masses of color when in bloom. The smaller species are
excellent as specimen plants and in cold regions are grown in tubs in the cool
greenhouse. Close up the flowers of some are of exquisite beauty. They germinate
in 1 to 7 weeks, cold or smoke often helps.—Melaleuca alternifolia. (500) MELA-4. Packet: $2.50
'OIL TEA-TREE', 'PAPERBARK'. Small Australian tree grown for the production of
the famous antiseptic 'Tea-Tree Oil' distilled from the leaves. White flowers,
papery bark, narrow leaves, to 25 feet. Zone 9. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.NEW—Melaleuca cordata. (100) MELA-12. Packet: $2.50
https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/5896http://bie.ala.org.au/species/http://id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/2899814
'HEART-LEAF HONEY MYRTLE'. Purple-pink balls of feathery flowers. Attractive
shrub to 3 - 10 feet, with heart-shaped leaves. W. Australia. Zone 8. Surface
sow to germinate in 4 - 16 weeks.NEW—Melaleuca diosmatifolia. (500) MELA-16. Packet: $2.50
http://bie.ala.org.au/species/http://id.biodiversity.org.au/node/apni/2909749http://www.anpsa.org.au/m-dio.htmlhttps://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2007/melaleuca-diosmatifolia.html
'ROSY PAPERBARK'. Pink-purple feathery flowers in clusters. Shrub to 3 - 9 feet,
with narrow leaves. E. Australia. Zone 8. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
MELIA (ME-lee-a)MELIACEAE. Handsome Asian and Australian trees and shrubs grown in
California and the South. GA-3 helps germination.—Melia Azedarach. (10) MELIA-3. Packet: $2.00
Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 Pound: $12.00'CHINABERRY', 'PERSIAN LILAC', 'BEAD TREE'. Fragrant lilac flowers with
purple-black centers, in loose clusters in early summer, followed by round
yellow 1/2 - 3/4" fruits which persist after the leaves have fallen.
Fast-growing spreading-crowned tree to 30 - 50 feet, with handsome 3 foot long
bipinnate leaves. Asia. Hardy to Zone 7. Valuable shade tree for warm regions.
Wood hard, durable and used in cabinet making. Seeds made into rosaries, and
fruits attract birds. Seeds germinate easily in 1 - 3 months at warm
temperatures. All parts medicinal. Closely related to the famous Neem tree, it
has insecticidal properties and needs more research to determine the
similarities.
MELISSA (me-LISS-a)LABIATAE. 'BALM'. Perennial herbs from Europe and Asia. Name comes from the
Greek for 'bee', as bees are attracted to the plants. Sow after all danger of
frost is past. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Melissa officinalis. (250) MELS-1. Packet: $2.50
5 grams: $10.00'LEMON BALM'. Strongly lemon-scented hardy perennial herb to 2 - 3 feet,
forming large bushes in favorable climates. Zone 3. A good bee plant. The leaves
are used in making potpourri, perfumes and tea. Use fresh or dry for tea and
seasoning. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
—Melissa officinalis Gold Leaf. (50) MELS-1G. Packet: $3.00'GOLDEN LEMON BALM'. Striking golden and green foliage in spring, changing
to light green. Golden color best in part shade. Germinates in 1 week.
MELOTHRIA (me-lo-THREE-a)CUCURBITACEAE. Annual and perennial tendril-climbing vines grown for
ornament. Start early indoors, germinates in about 5 - 10 days. Easy.—Melothria scabra. (25) MELO-40. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $10.00Egg shaped inch-long green and white striped or mottled fruits resembling
tiny watermelons. Fast-growing annual with lobed leaves. México. Fruits are "...tasty
and crunchy, used in salads or stir-fry."—Lacherez. They are pickled
in México. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks.
MENTHA (MEN-tha)LABIATAE. 'MINT'. Easily grown tender perennial herbs grown for seasoning,
medicine, aromatic oil and ornament. Sow seed in any good moist garden soil in
spring. They spread by runners.—Mentha X piperita. (1500) MENT-12. Packet: $2.50'PEPPERMINT'. Purple flowers and purple-tinged leaves. To 2 - 3 feet. Likes
moist places. Zone 2. The most-used mint, Oil of Peppermint is found in a great
range of preparations from toothpaste to candy. Excellent remedy for nausea
fever and rheumatism. Varies greatly from seed. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks warm.
—Mentha requienii. (100) MENT-17. Packet: $2.50
1/4 gram: $10.00, Gram: $20.00
'CORSICAN MINT'. Moss-like mat-forming perennial ground cover with tiny,
powerfully mint-scented leaves. Lilac or pink flowers. Corsica and Sardinia.
Zone 6. Best with constant moisture and part shade. Used to make
crème-de-menthe. Germinates in 1 - 2 weeks, best at under 75°F.
MENTZELIA (ment-ZE-lee-a)LOASACEAE. N. and S. American plants grown for their showy flowers. Easy in
light rich soil in sunny spots. Good in the border, wild garden, or pots,
blooming June to October. Sow 1/8" deep outdoors in March and April, or in
fall in warm regions. They bloom in about 10 weeks.—Mentzelia decapetala. (100) MENZ-2. Packet: $2.50'GIANT EVENING STAR'. Huge cream to yellow 4 - 5" ten-petaled,
sweet-scented flowers open at night, up to 40 - 50 blooms per plant. Very hardy
biennial or perennial to 2 - 4 feet, with lobed, lance-shaped leaves. Dry rocky
soil, plains and foothills, Alberta to Iowa and México. Zone 3. Give seed 4
weeks cold to germinate in 4 weeks or so.

MERREMIA (me-RE-mee-a)CONVOLVULACEAE. Twiners with bell or funnel-shaped morning glory-like
flowers and divided or entire leaves. Mostly tropical, they are valued for their
fast growth, attractive foliage, and some for ornamental pods or edible tubers.
Easily grown in ordinary soil, the roots of the perennials can be stored over
winter like Dahlias.—Merremia sibirica. (10) MERR-3. Packet: $2.50
1/4 Ounce: $15.00Pale pink 3/4" flowers on a vigorous vine to 20 feet. Long,
heart-shaped leaves, 2 1/2" wide and 4 1/2" long, turning red in
autumn. Reddish stems. Grown from seed from Beijing, China. Hardy annual. Nick
seed to germinate in a week. Blooms in 3 months. "It is certainly a
profuse bloomer. I had three plants on a trellis, and it was not uncommon to see
up to a hundred flowers each morning!"—E. Kniola.

"Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the truth who
believes nothing, than he who believes what is wrong."—Thomas Jefferson.
MONARDA (mo-NAR-da)LABIATAE. Aromatic perennial and annual herbs, some with showy scarlet or
purple blooms. Good in masses in a sunny border. Easy culture, will thrive in
any good soil. Divide in spring; plants disturbed in fall often die in winter.
Sow on the surface, germinates in 1 - 4 weeks. Cool temperatures help some.—Monarda citriodora. (1000) MOND-2. Packet $2.00
Ounce: $6.00, 1/4 Pound: $18.00'LEMON BEE BALM'. Purple or yellow showy flowers. Annual or perennial to
32". Zone 5. Highly lemon-scented. The mature seedheads are attractive
dried.—Monarda didyma 'Panorama'. (100) MOND-3X. Packet: $3.00'BERGAMOT', 'BEE BALM', 'OSWEGO TEA'. Highly aromatic herb with showy
scarlet, purple or pink flowers in starry whorls. To 2 feet. Zone 4. The
fragrant leaves are used alone as a tea, or are mixed with black tea as
flavoring. Excellent bee plant. Stunning when flowering. Likes moist soil.—Monarda fistulosa. (1000) MOND-9. Packet: $2.50'WILD BERGAMOT'. Lilac 1 1/2" flowers in clusters with colored bracts.
Hardy perennial to 2 - 5 feet, with 4" leaves. N. America. Zone 4. The
strongly fragrant leaves were used when cooking meat, and were chewed by the
Indians. They make a pleasant aromatic tea. The volatile oil is over 50%
carvacrol. Germinates in 1 - 3 weeks, with stragglers to 5 months.
—Monarda punctata. (500) MOND-15. Packet: $2.50 OUT
OF STOCK - EXPECTED
'SPOTTED BEEBALM'. Inch-long yellow flowers spotted with purple, in dense
wheel-like whorls, surrounded by purple-pink bracts. Hardy perennial to 3 feet,
with narrow 3" leaves. E. U.S. Zone 4. The dried seedheads are attractive.
A strongly aromatic and flavorful herb with a thyme-like scent. Germinates in 2
- 3 weeks.

MONTIA (MON-tee-a)PORTULACACEAE. Widespread small annuals or perennials with small flowers.—Montia perfoliata. (=Claytonia perfoliata). (100) MONT-10. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $10.00
Click for photos » 'MINER'S LETTUCE'. Bright green annual to 6 - 12", noted for the
unusual cup-like leaf below the spike of small white flowers. Young leaves
narrow, broadening as the plant matures. W N. America. Shady places. Excellent
in salads, called 'miner's lettuce' as it was eaten by the gold rush miners. It
is one of the first wild plants we learned to eat as kids growing up in
California. Can be grown as a cut-and-come-again greens. Germinates best with
light and cool temperatures, or GA-3.

MORINGA (mor-RIN-ga)MORINGACEAE. Interesting and useful tropical trees of semi-arid regions of
Asia and Africa. Easily grown in warm areas of the U.S. or in the greenhouse.
Easy from seed.—Moringa pterygosperma. (=Moringa oleifera) (10) MORG-16. Packet: $2.50
OUT OF STOCK
Ounce: $9.00 OUT OF STOCK'HORSERADISH TREE', 'SAJAN'. Clustered, inch-wide, fragrant, oddly-shaped
flowers followed by 12 - 18" pods. Tripinnate leaves. India. Valuable
multi-use tree. Leaves eaten boiled or fried, and are especially rich in the
sulfur-bearing amino acids methionine and cystine, which balance bean protein,
and in vitamin A; planted to prevent deficiency-blindness. Young pods called
'drumsticks', eaten cooked or pickled. Seeds yield a fine edible oil (ben oil),
also used by watchmakers. The roots have a horseradish flavor and are used as a
condiment. Germinates in 2 - 4 weeks.

"Coercion is the least efficient means of obtaining order."—U. K.
LeGuin.
MUCUNA (mu-KU-na)LEGUMINOSAE. Showy tropical vines grown for ornament, soil building and
cattle forage. Some are among the most brilliant and dramatic of the world's
plants. Frost tender, good in the far South and in the greenhouse, some blooming
and maturing seed as far north as Maryland and Kansas. Easy from seed in most
soils, sprouts quickly. Some are bat-pollinated.—Mucuna sempervirens. (5) MUCU-76. Packet:
$5.00
Photo: http://treeflower.la.coocan.jp/Fabaceae/Mucuna%20sempervirens/Mucuna%20sempervirens.htm'SEA BEAN', 'TOBI-KAZURA' (Japanese name meaning 'flying vine').
Purple-black to red-yellow 3" waxy flowers in 8" clusters in spring,
followed by 12" pods. Large evergreen tropical climber to 40 feet, with
trifoliate 5" leaves. China. Zone 10. Nick and soak seed to germinate in 1
- 2 months.
MYRICA (MIR-i-ka)MYRICACEAE. 'WAX MYRTLE'. Ornamental shrubs and small trees with nitrogen
fixing bacteria. Grown for ornament, fruits, fragrant wax and medicine. Good
soil builders in sandy sterile areas. Seed of temperate-zone kinds germinate
after 3 months cold treatment. GA-3 at 500ppm helps the germination of de-waxed
seed.—Myrica californica. (25) MYRI-6. Packet: $2.50
'CALIFORNIA BAYBERRY'. Glossy dark green leaves on an evergreen shrub or small
tree to 10 - 30 feet, with deep purple waxy berries. Coastal western U.S. Zone
7. "One of the best-looking native plants."—Sunset. Rub wax
off seed to germinate in 3 - 7 months. A prechill and GA-3 also help.

MYRRHIS (MIR-is
)
UMBELLIFERAE. A single species.—Myrrhis odorata. (25) MYRR-1. Packet: $2.50
10 grams: $20.00
'SWEET CICELY', 'MYRRH'. Sweet-scented, lacy, fern-like foliage and large umbels
of white flowers on 2 - 3 foot stems. Europe. Zone 4. The fragrant foliage has a
sweet taste and is used as a potherb, in salads, to flavor vinegar, etc. "The
leaves taste as if sugar had been sprinkled over them."—Grieve. The
roots are eaten in salads or boiled. The chopped green seeds are eaten as
flavoring. Plant out 2 feet apart. Will produce for many years. Seed best sown
in fall to germinate in spring. If sown in spring, give at least 2 - 4
months cold treatment, and best to freeze a few times during this. Will then
germinate in 1 - 3 months. It is absolutely a myth that the seed is only
viable a few weeks; it just goes into deep dormancy if not sown right off the
plant. I've had high germination from seed one and two years old, and D. Downs
reports 3 years.